Chapter 53

The words hung in the air for a moment before Isabella straightened and began pacing slowly across the room, her voice hardening with each word. 

“It was a gathering of the packs. A treaty meeting, they called it. Aiden was already a leader in every sense of the word. As a Lycan and with his achievements in different contests with different contestants from different packs, his father had given him authority over several matters—touch authority if you ask me.” She stopped, her back to Lucy. “But then again, who would dare question him?”

Lucy swallowed, her fingers twitching in her lap.

“There was a rogue,” Isabella continued, turning her face to her. “A woman who had been caught stealing food from the camp. She was older, frail, and clearly desperate. She claimed she had cubs to feed, though no one had seen them. Most of us would've handed her over to her pack, let them seal with it. But not Aiden.”

Isabella's eyes narrowed as if she could still see the scene playing out in front of her. 

“He dragged her to the center of the square himself,” she said, her tone bitter. “Didn't wait for the elders or even Leo's father, the Alpha of the pack. He stood there with everyone watching and delivered his judgment.”

“What… what did he do?” Lucy asked hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper.”

Isabella's lips curled into a mirthless smile. “He said she deserved punishment that matched her crime. Claimed she'd stolen from the pack and endangered its members. Then, without hesitation, he condemned her to death but before that, he ordered her to be whipped. Twenty lashes. For stealing bread, Lucy, Bread.”

Lucy's breath hitched. She could almost see the image Isabella painted—Aiden standing in the center of a gathering, his face cold and unyielding as he passed judgment.

“Did anyone stop him?” Lucy asked softly, her voice trembling.

Isabella laughed bitterly. “Who would dare stop him? Not even Leo who was aware of the situation. No one wanted to cross him.”

Lucy felt a chill run down her spine. She could hardly reconcile the image of the man Isabella described with the one who had spoken to her so gently in the hall.

“Well, Alpha Eric stopped him.”

Lucy breathed out and swallowed hard.

“But there's more,” Isabella said, her voice quieter now. She walked back to her bed and leaned against it, her gaze distant. “Later that night, another rouge was caught—a young boy, no other than sixteen. He'd been hiding near the camp, probably running to find out what had happened to the woman. Aiden didn't even bother with a public trial. He ordered the boy banished into the wilds without so much as a scrap of food or clothing.”

Lucy's hands tightened into fists in her lap. “Why are you telling me this?”

Isabella looked at her sharply. “Because you need to understand who you're dealing with. You think he's changed, huh? That's he different now?” She shook her head, her tone harsh. “He hasn't. He's just hiding it better.”

Lucy lowered her gaze, her thoughts swirling. Could it be true? Could the man who had looked at her with such warmth really be the same person Isabella had described?

“You don't believe me,” Isabella said, her voice softer but still laced with frustration. She crouched in front of Lucy, her eyes searching hers. “But mark my words, Lucy. Aiden doesn't care about anyone. Male or female. It doesn't matter to him. He'll use you if it serves his purpose and he'll discard you just as easily.”

The room fell silent, the sight of Isabella's words pressing down on both of them. Lucy felt her chest tighten, doubt creeping into the edges of her mind. 

But he didn't hurt me. He could have, but he didn't.

The door creaked as Isabella pushed it open, her figure outlined against the dim corridor light. Lucy stood motionless close to the edge of the bed, her thoughts and ever-deepening labyrinth of doubt and confusion.

“Lucy,” Isabella's voice broke the silence, firm but weary. “I've said what I needed to say. Now, you need to get moving.” She leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed. “Marie is waiting for you… I don't know where. But she'll tell you what needs to be done for the full moon preparation. Don't dawdle.”

 Lucy blinked, her mind slow to catch up. She barely registered Isabella's instructions.

“I mean it,* Isabella said sharply, her eyes narrowing. “We can't afford any mistakes with the Alpha expecting everything to be perfect. If you mess this up—” She stopped herself, sighing deeply. “Just go, Lucy.”

Lucy staggered on her feet, her limb feeling heavier than they should. She moved towards the door with a distant nod, her mind still tangled in the memories Isabella had unearthed. Aiden's cold judgment, his unflinching cruelty—it didn't align with the man who had spoken to her so softly, who had made her feel, for a fleeting moment, like she mattered.

As she stepped into the corridor, Isabella's voice followed her, quieter now. “Think about what I said, Lucy. Don't be foolish and report to me when something comes up with you and Aiden.”

Lucy didn't respond. She pulled the door shut behind her and began walking, her thoughts a molestron of emotions. Was Isabella right? Could someone so ruthless truly change? Or was she blind—seeing only what she wanted to see because she couldn't accept the truth?

Her steps were slow, hesitant. The dimly lit hallway seemed longer than it usually was, stretching endlessly in front of her. She passed the familiar wooden beams and flickering torches without truly seeing them, her head bowed and her mind elsewhere.

What if Isabella was wrong?

She shook her head as if trying to dislodge the thought. What if she was right?

The sudden impact jarred her from her reverie. She gasped, stumbling slightly as her body collided with something solid—someone solid.

“Whoa,” a deep voice said, steady hands catching her by the shoulder before she could fall.